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Midwest utilities, led by Xcel Energy, are requesting the Trump administration to halt the competitive bidding process for high-voltage transmission projects, claiming it is essential for meeting the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence. Their proposal is under consideration by the National Energy Dominance Council and may lead to a filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

However, the administration's focus on competition and consumer electricity prices complicates this request. The regional grid planner has already approved over $30 billion in new projects, with a potential total of $100 billion needed, raising concerns from the Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition about the impact on consumer costs if competition is suspended.